Rapid closure valve for high-flow rates at low-pressure drop



Nov. 13, 1951 E. H s 2,575,272

I RAPID CLOSURE VALVE FOR HIGH-FLOW RATES AT LOW-PRESSURE DROP Filed July 17, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET l IN VEN TOR. 53 15 0140567 I flA /P/P/S Nov. 13, 1951 v o. E. HARRIS 2,575,272

RAPID CLOSURE VALVE FORHIGH-FLOW RATES AT LOW-PRESSURE DROP Filed July 17, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 i INVENTOR.

awa /7" HARP/S BY Patented Nov. '13, 1951 as'vam "RAPID mosene'vsweinoitmemrnowearns nT-mow-msssxmr: nner image; 1E. na -is, fistamfordnflonni, "its The 'Skiiilf 1' Chuk Canaan-momma (Jenna a corporat i iin'of' flonnecflellt :a punm n immi, ismserniitmsiasi as Claims. (susta n) 1 t This invention relates to valvesand more :piecially to solenoid-operated valves. gnn object of this; invention is a solenoideoperated valve of such design as to provide alhi'h iiow rate withlow pressure droprrapid closing is andtightsealing.

Gth'er objects, vnovel "features and advantages of invention will become I. apparentlfrom the iollowingtspecification and accompanying draw- .ings,,'fw'her.ein:

Fig. V1 is an axial section through one embodiment-of the invention; v

(Riga-2 is a sectionon theline 2- 2 of .Fig; 11.;

Fig. -B is-a section on the "line 3-3 of -TFi'g. Il, and

Fig; aisja :section'on theline 4 4 of -.Fig. 1;

A cylindrical base In is provided with a central bore H near one end of which is'formed ajvalve seat 12. Thebor-e H is formed with anlenlarged portion l3 and; a {port [4 communicates with said;;p0rtion. That-portion of the bore ll below the valve seat constitutes a second port communicatin'g with the enlarged portion: 13. Anannularcover l6 is attached to the upper end "of thebodyW-O by-bolts l1 witha sea-ling .gasket'lil interposed between the cover and ;the"body-. A sleeve I9 of non-magnetic metal-extends through .andt is su-pported by'the cover lfi 'andis closed at its upper end by a plug}!!! of magnetic metal in thelower .face of which 'is formed a conical recessll. electromagnetic coil22 surrounds the sleeve 19- and is enclosed by a cup-shaped cap {23 which'i's attached to the plug 20, thecap being composed of several Icoacting parts. Suitable connections are provider-l forisupplyingelectriccurrent toflt'he coil 22. v

p A cylinder 24 located -in the lbore ill 1 is held' in place by a snap ring 25 and washer and fneajr ns b ttomsedge, the minder 24 .is proviaea with a (series of Ispacedwaper'tures 25. the cylind'er 24 is slidably-mounted asleeve I26 lin -the npper end OI W hlOh isformed a'rece'ss .21 from the bottom of which extend a. plurality of pas sageways 28- terminating short of the bottom of the sleeve. Each passageway "18 ico'mmunicates with "a radially arranged passageway 29,. one'en'a of which communicates with acircu'lar groove 30 theouter periphery of the sleeve 'I'Gendt'h'e other "of which communicates with 'a fcirciilar groove 3'! in the inner periphery of'th'e sleeve annular "band "32 surrounds thelower end for the sleeve .26 in overlying relation to the groove 30; and inithe lowermostposition of 'the sleeve the band 32 closes "the apertures 25; Atits'lower eve-ire Seat :and an-annular' plate .34 .rests on "thebettomzohthe recess 21, the plate 14 being attached' towthe sleeve by bolts :35 and having apertures llcommnnicating with the passagewanna; Elie-sleeve '26 is termed with'iagroove "33 iin iinneriperiphery providing communica- -'=ition betwe'en the;-.'s1eeve bore andthe passagewm'si-fl. Hhelower end of the sleeve is ofcoz'iito-iprovide-a valve 38 for cooperatitan-with the valveseat l 2;

I Azringiirests one shoulder 40 formed in the zreces'siil of the sleeve 26 :and engages the-=bot- 'tomyend of Zafihelical spring 4|, the top end oi "which-engages a iringdl which surrounds a col- Jar flsw ith' wboth thee-ring 42 andcollar 43 contaictinetlme under face pf an annulus 44 arirangiedin the upper end of "the bore H andcom mtin'g the "cover I16. The springl-l "opposes up- Wierdmovementwf the :ring 39 and-sleeve 26.

hereof the sleeve-26 and-in the lower end of the 'isleev'e borekthere isprovided a valveseat 46. The sleeve liiiseprovided with, radial passageways -41, the-onterendmf "which communicates with the j'zgrocxie igl of thegsleeve 26. (At its bottom end, the-second'isleevefi is of conical shape to form -awa1ve p1ug-l8 for cooperation with the valve season-m I ihiiup I! slidably mounted in the bore of thesScendmleEverandis provided with a conicaliy shaped head constituting a valve plug '50 'iormoeperation with the 'valve seat 46. Athelical ispringii interposed betweenthe plate-3'4 and the acnp fl biase's ithe-cup downwardly. Three pins impress fitted into the plate 34-.serye to centrally ":wnmneheeepissteamy arranged apiston 52 from which a smaller-diameter, stem 53 extends a sleeve '54 having-a portion of 'redueed diameter extending through the bore of the "annulus u, the sleeve -zbeingw-supported from -=rmannu1usby the shoulder 55. The upper end end, the bore er the sleeve 'z't'is' "iormdwith 56 tive koi the-pinmnd the holes tal are ofrgreater The "bore 159 the bottom end of each sleeve 64 is provided a. ring 66 engaged by one end oi tl e spring 65 and held in place by the head 61 of ithe' boltj When the above-described device is in useja fluid supply pipe is connected to the ort-M and" a fluid discharge pipe is connected to the port: With the coil 22 de-energized, the valveheads 38, 48 and 50 engage respectively the valve seats i2, 33 and 46 while the apertures 25 are'-'- closed by the ring 32. The various cavities or recesses in the block,'the sleevesand thecup are filled with fiuid under the pressure existing at the inlet port l4, and the various valve: heads are urged against their seats under .such pressure. Upon energization of the coil, the core 56 isurged upwardly, thereby exerting-a punch the piston 52; which is communicated through the pin 66 to the cup 49, to disengage the valve head 50 from the valve seat 46 thereby permitting flow of fluid to the port l5' byway 'of the passageways 41 with consequent decrease in" the.fluid pressure exerted against-the seats ofithe .two sleeves 26 and 45 due to the holes 25; being substantially sealed by the ring 32. :Continued upward movement of the core 56- brings the pin 66 into engagement with the top surfaces of the holes 6| to lift the sleeve 45, thereby permitting additional flow to the port l5 through the-passageways 28 and 29, grooves 3i and the outlet end of the bore of the sleeve 26,'thereby causing reduction of the fluid pressure within the cylinder 24 almost to the outlet pressure due to the holes 25 being substantially sealed' by the ring 32. Such upward movement of the cup compresses the spring 5| until the shoulder of the piston 52 engages the annulus 34. "Still further upward movementof the core 56 lifts the sleeve 26 to open the apertures 25 and disengage the valve head 38 from the valve seat IZ-thereby permitting free flow through the chamber l3 from the port 14 to the port 15. Upward movement of the core 56' continues under theinflue ence of the magnetic field until-the upper, end of the core 56 engages the recess 2i with concurrent compression of the" spring 4|..L' The continued upward movement of the core 56 also engages the ring 63 with the'collar. 43 thereby compressing the springs 65. I .5 i

Upon de-energization' of the coil 22, the springs 65 act to separate the core 56 from the plug 20 after which the springs 4i and 51- cooperateto return the various valve plugs -toItheir original positions. Rapid closing of the valve is accon plished by means of the passageways 28 in the sleeve 26 which permit rapid transfer of fluid through the sleeve into the cavity above it during closing of the valve. Due to the fact that the band 32 seals off the flow from the inlet port 14, until the valve head 38 has been; disengaged from the seat [2, pressure in port 14 is not applied to the area around valve seat 33 of sleeve 26 during the opening cycle. Therefore, there no pressure which would tend to prevent sleeve 26 from being lifted during the opening cycle .}The valve above described has been designed for use to control fluid flow through 4" pipes. Such a valve will handle flows up to 18 gallons per second with 20 p. s. i. pressure drop, a maximum operating pressure of 650 p. s. i. and approximately second closing time. Thus it is evident that the valve will handle high flows at low pressure drops and has a very fast closing. While the invention has been disclosed "in a single embodiment, it is to be understood that the features of the invention are adaptable to various forms 0f apparatus and that changes may be made int-he structure herein described without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention as define'd'in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

l. A valve comprising a base having a bore defining an inlet, an outlet and a first valve seat between said inlet and outlet; a cylinder in said bore having one or more apertures communicating with said inlet and valve seat, said cylinder separating said inlet and valve seat except for said apertures; a first cylindrical sleeve slidably mounted in said cylinder and effective in the closed position of said valve to cover said apertures, said first sleeve having a first valve head on the exterior of one end face thereof for cooperation with said first valve seat, intercommunicating longitudinal and radial passageways in said first sleeve, a circular recess in said first sleeve surrounding said first valve head and communicating with the outer ends of said radial passageways and with the exterior of said end face, a second circular recess in the inner cylindrical surface of said first sleeve communicating'with the inner ends of said radial passageways and with the interior of said first sleeve, asecond I valveseat on the interior of said end-face; a

second cylindrical sleeve slidably mounted in said first sleeve and having on the exterior of one end face thereof a second valve head for coopera tion with said second valve seat, radial passage ways in said second sleeve communicating with said second circular recess of said first sleeve in the closed position of said valve and with the interior of said second sleeve, a third valve seat on the interior of said end face of said second sleeve; a cup slidably mounted in saids'econd sleeve and having a third valve head for cooper-- ation' with said third valve seat; a piston connected to said cup; means for opening said valve comprising means for moving said piston serially to separate the respective said valve heads and. seats in an order inverse to the order of their mentioning upon predetermined valve opening movements of said piston including a lost motion connection between said piston and saidsecond sleeve and aisecond lost motionconnect'io'nbetween said piston and first sleeve; and means for closing said valve comprising 'means biasing said cup toward the end face of saidsecond sleeve, said second sleeve toward 'the end face of said firstfsleeve; and the end face of said first sleeve toward saidfirst valve seat. i. 2. A valve as in claim 1 in which said means for moving said piston comprises electro-magnetic means including a movable core connected to said piston and a coil for moving said core, said valve including a member and resilient means confnectedto said core biasing said member toward said core, and a stop on said base engageable by said member upon a predetermined valve opening movement of said core by said coil whereby fur.- ,thermovement of said core separates said member fromsaidcore against the biasing force of said resilient means and said core is biased by said resilient means away from said coil after further movement of said core more than said predetermined movement.

3. A valve as in claim 2 in which said stop comprises a cover for said bore near the end of said first sleeve away from said valve heads, said movable core being movable through said cover and having studs pro ecting from the end of said core into said bore, said member comprising a plate slidably supported by said studs and said resilient means comprising springs on said studs biasing said plate toward said core.

4. A valve comprising a base having a bore de- I fining an inlet, an outlet and a first valve seat between said inlet and outlet; a cylinder in said bore having one or more apertures communicating with said inlet and valve seat, said cylinder separating said inlet and valve seat except for said apertures; a first cylindrical sleeve slidably mounted in said cylinder and eifective in the closed position of said valve to cover said apertures, said first sleeve having a first valve head on the exterior of one end face thereof for cooperation with said first valve seat, intercommunicating longitudinal and radial passageways in said first sleeve, a circular recess in said first sleeve surrounding said first valve head and communicating with the outer ends of said radial passageways and with the exterior of said end face, a second circular recess in the inner cylindrical surface of said first sleeve communicating with the inner ends of said radial passageways and with the interior of said first sleeve, a second valve seat on the interior of said end face; a second cylindrical sleeve slidably mounted in said first sleeve and having on the exterior of one end face thereof a second valve head for cooperation with said second valve seat; a piston for moving said second sleeve; means for opening said valve comprising means for moving said piston serially to separate the respective said valve heads and seats in an order inverse to the order of their mentioning upon predetermined valve opening movements of said piston including a lost motion '45 connection between said piston and first sleeve; and means for closing said valve comprising means biasing said second sleeve toward the end face of said first sleeve. and the end face of said first sleeve toward said first valve seat.

5. A' valve as in claim 4 in which said means for moving said piston comprises electro-magnetic means including a movable core connected to said piston and a coil for moving said core, said valve including a member and resilient means connectedto said core biasing said member toward said core, and a stop on said base engageable by said member upon a predetermined valve opening movement of said core by said coil whereby further movement of said core separates said member from said core against the biasing force of said resilient means and said core is biased by said resilient means away from said coil after further movement of said core more than said predetermined movement.

6. A valve as in claim 5 in which said stop comprises a cover for said bore near the end of said first sleeve away from said valve heads, said movable core being movable through said cover and having studs projecting from the end of said core into said bore, said member comprising a plate slidably supported by said studs and said resilient means comprising springs on said studs biasing said plate toward said core.

DWIGHT E. HARRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 594,633 Lunken Nov. 30, 1897 628,671 Newman July 11, 1899 822,023 Schreidt May 29, 1906 1,062,213 Delaunay et a1 May 20, 1913 1,176,417 Wood Mar. 21, 1916 1,540,954 Rockwell June 9, 1925 1,877,542 Wagner Sept. 13, 1932 2,392,741 Hurlburt Jan. 8, 1946 2,492,628 Goepfrich Dec. 27, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 699 Australia of 1926 137,227 Germany Dec. 13, 1902 

